TEHRAN – The Leader of Islamic Revolution has written a commentary on the book “Roosevelt Street Station: A Documentative Narrative of Seizing U.S. Embassy in Tehran”, commending the author’s efforts and emphasizing the importance of accurately recounting history, especially regarding pivotal events during the Islamic Revolution.

The text of the Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei’s commentary is as follows:

“In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful,  

This book provides a solid and valuable report on a crucial incident in the history of the Revolution: the takeover of the U.S. Den of Espionage in 1979.  This work fills a significant media and propaganda gap. We have not paid enough attention to the war of narratives in global conflicts, allowing our enemies to exploit this neglect, often distorting many events.  The author’s careful and valuable efforts in addressing this critical area deserve appreciation. The book’s prose is smooth and expressive, with research and analysis that are logical, sincere, and convincing.  The title chosen for the book is excellent.”

Roosevelt Street Station delves into U.S. embassy spy activities both before and after the Revolution, detailing its interventions post-Revolution, which ceased following the historic takeover of the U.S. embassy. This event, significant not only for Iranians but also for Americans, prompted the U.S. to craft its own perspective on the episode.

The Leader’s commentary was unveiled on Wednesday, at a ceremony at the Islamic Revolution Research and Cultural Institute. The event was attended by the book’s author, experts, contemporary Iranian history researchers, and individuals involved in the 1979 U.S. embassy takeover in Tehran.

The book’s launch ceremony today was accompanied by a speech from Hojjatoleslam Ahmad Khazaei, the publisher, who recounted the process of creating and publishing Roosevelt Street Station. 

Khazaei mentioned that in 2022, the Leader remarked to a group of nurses that critical aspects of the U.S. embassy takeover and its documents remained unclear, particularly for younger generations. This inspired the Institute to produce a comprehensive research work, leading to Roosevelt Street Station, a result of two years of intensive work, including the analysis of approximately 10,000 documents. “With proficiency in English, the author, Mohammad Mahboubi, meticulously reviewed primary sources and English-language memoirs for an in-depth analysis,” he added.

Roosevelt Street Station also addresses questions surrounding the embassy takeover. During the event, researcher and writer Hossein Mohammadi Seerat discussed the book, noting its departure from a typical narrative and its balanced tone. He acknowledged some gaps in the text but praised the book’s importance in today’s context, which highlights how the Revolution dealt a significant blow to the United States.

Mahboubi explained that the book aimed to bridge internal and competing narratives, avoiding Western biases while steering clear of overly propagandistic tones. He consulted over 40 English and 45 Persian books, noting the painstaking process of reconciling sources over a nearly two-year period.

Every year on November 4, Iranians commemorate the day of seizing the U.S. embassy as the National Day of the Fight against Global Arrogance with rallies across the country, marking a day of resistance against the West’s imperialism and a tribute to Iranian students’ vigilance.